Gate operating means



April 20, 1937 P. SCHNELL GATE OPERATING MEANS Filed June 4, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 wm 9%. ww @N V 7 www mm o mo Sw s@ wm QW I/L. m6 o O O O i. 1 a? n NW d( L E Q mv K N\ N1 April 20, 1937- 'P. SCHNELL l GATE OPERATING MEANS Filed June 4, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ,0M/ /p SCH/m1 kzol Patented Apr. 20, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GATE OPERATING MEANS 4 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in gate latches.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved construction for a latch adapted particularly for gates of the general type used in closing the entrance to the yard or grounds of places of business, institutions, and the like, and which can be controlled from a remote point by hydraulic apparatus to unlatch the gate and then open it, and then close the gate when desired so that it cannot be opened from the outside.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an improved construction for a gate latch of the character referred to which is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction, easy to install and reliable in operation.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, an embodiment thereof is shown in the drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is an elevational view, partly diagrammatic, showing my improved latch and the operating and control mechanism therefor, installed to actuate and control two complementary, swinging gates;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken from Fig. l, showing the various parts oi my im- 30 proved latch in position to lock the gates;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view, the section being taken Yon the line 3-3 in Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic View, partly in section, of the hydraulic control and actuating ap- 35 paratus; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional View, the section being taken on the line 5 5 in Fig. 1.

With reference to the drawings, the reference numerals I0 and I2 designate complementarir 40 gates supported for swinging movement from a closed position as shown in Fig. 1 to an open position.

Locking bolts I4 and I6 are carried by the gate I2 for movement into and out of locking position. 45 'I'he bolt I4 has a sliding fit in bracket or bearing members I8 fixed to the free edge of the gate I2, and the lower end of this bolt is received by a fixed socket when in the locking position.

The bolt I6 is pivotally connected at one end 50 thereof to the gate l2, at 22, and when in locking position as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, this bolt rests in U-shaped brackets 24 and 26 fixed respectively to the lower adjacent corners of the gates I0 and I2.

The bolt I6 is pivotally connected intermediate its ends to the bolt I4 by a pin-and-slot' connec- 'Y tion 28 of conventional construction, so that when the bolt I4 is raised to unlock the gates, the bolt I6 is also raised out of locking position to permit the opening of gate I2 without opening the gate Ill.

A member 30, in the form of a piston in a hydraulic cylinder 32, is connected to the gate I 2 by a rod 34, a crosshead 36, a rod 38 and a second crosshead 48. The crosshead 36 slides on a iixed bar 42, and the crosshead 40 slides on a bar 44 xed to the gate I2.

The crosshead 40 is connected by a link 46 to a block 48 slidable on the bar 44 between a bracket 50 and an element 52, both of which are carried by and iixed to the bar 44.

A link 54 is pivotally connected at one end thereof to the bolt I4 by a pin-and-slot connection 56 of conventional construction, and is pivotally connected intermediate its ends by a pin f 58 to the bracket 50.

A-relatively stii tensioned spring 60 connects the other end of the link 54 to the fixed element 52.

A link 62 is pivotally connected at one end thereof to the slidable block 48 by a pin 64, and is pivotally connected by a pin 66 to the link 54 at a point between the pivotal connection 58 and the spring 60.

The arrangement and relation o-f the various parts are such that when the gates are closed and locked as shown in Fig. 1, the longitudinal axis 68 of the link 62 is slightly to the right of the vertical l0 to lock the link 54 against clockwise rotation about the pin 58.y It will therefore be f seen that the link mechanism comprising the links 54 and 62 has a dead-center position which is passed when these links are moved into their respective positions as shown in Fig. 1, which arrangement locks the bolts` I 4 and I 6 against upward movement.

To open the gate I2, oil or other suitable liquid under pressure is admitted by the pipe 12 into the leithand end of the cylinder 32. The piston then starts to move from its first position at the lefthand end of the cylinder to a second position at the righthand end of the cylinder. As the piston 30 starts this movement, the block 48 is pulled to the right against the fixed element 52 so that the Various parts are moved totheir respective positions as shown in Fig. 2 to raise the bolts I4 and I6 out of their locking positions. As the piston 30 continues its righthand movement after the block 48 engages the fixed element 52, the gate I2 begins to swing open, and

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reaches its full-open position as shown in dash lines in Fig. 3 when the piston 30 reaches the righthand end of the cylinder 32.

To close and lock the gate I2, liquid under pressure is admitted by a pipe 'I4 to the righthand end of the cylinder 32, whereupon the piston 38 starts to move from its second, righthand position to the iirst position at the lefthand end of the cylinder. The gate I2 thereupon is swung into its closed position, during which movement the tension of the spring 60 is suicient to prevent leithand movement of the block 48 away from the fixed element 52. The bolts I4 and I6, therefore, are held raised out of locking position, as the gate is swung closed under the thrust exerted through the link 46. q

At the instant the gate I2 reaches its closed position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the various parts comprising the latch or lock are stillin vtheir respective positions as shown in Fig. 2. However, as the piston 38 continues its lefthand movement under the hydraulic pressure, the block 48 is forced to the left against the bracket 59 to cause the bolts I4 and I8 to drop into their locking positions as shown in Fig. 1.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the various parts or elements connecting the piston member 38 to the bolts I4 and I6 have a given amount of free-play which is taken up as the piston moves out of its first position, as shown in Fig. l, and before the gate I2 starts to open.

It will be seen, further, that the links 54 and 62 and the various parts associated therewith, and which constitute part of the means connecting the piston member 3i) to the gate I2, operate to raise the bolts I4 and I6 out of their locking positions when the block 48 moves over against the xed element 52 as the piston member 38 moves to the right, and as the free-play in the mechanism is taken up.

The gate I0 is opened and closed by a hydraulic Cylinder 'I4 and associated piston 'I6 connected to this gate through a rod 18, a crosshead 88 slidable along a iiXed bar 82, and a rod 84 connecting the gate to the crosshead.

A valve 86 operates to admit oil or other liquid under pressure from a pump unit 88, into either end of the cylinder 32 and to connect the other end of the cylinder to a surge tank 98, from whence the liquid returns to the intake side of the pump. v

Likewise, a valve 92 operates to admit the liquid under pressure into either ,end of the cylinder 'I4 and to connect the other end of this cylinder to the surge tank 98.

It will be seen from the connections shown in Figs. l and 4 that the gates IIl and I2 are caused to close when the valves and 92 are moved to :their respective righthand positions, as shown in Figs. l and 3.

It will be seen that when these valves are swung over to the left, the gates I!) and I2 are caused to open.

For the purpose of preventing opening of gate I Il before gate I2 has been unlatched and has started on its opening movement, a locking lever 94 is pivotally mounted at 98 and disposed with its ends in close proximity to the two valves. With the valves in the positions shown in Fig. 1, the end 98 of the lever 94 is held locked in a notch IUIJ in the valve 92, on account of .engagement of the end |02 with the cylindrical surface of the valve 86. When the valve 88 is swung over to the left to open the gate I2, the end I82 is received by a notch |84 in this valve, whereupon the end 98 can leave the notch IGI) to. permit swinging of the valve 92 over to the left to open the gate ID. It Will be seen that the valve 86 is now locked on account of engagement of the end 98 with the cylindrical surface of the valve 92. It is therefore required that, in closing the gates, the valve 92 iirst be swung over to the right to start the gate I0 well on its closing movement before the valve 88 can also be swung over to the left to start closing movement of the gate I2. In this way, the two gates are always made toclose and open in the proper sequence.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided an improved construction for a latch which is particularly adapted for locking large, heavy gates, and which is adaptable to be controlled from a remote point by hydraulic apparatus to rst unlatch the gates and then open them, and then close the gates and latch them when desired so that they cannot be opened from the outside by unauthorized persons.

While but one embodiment of my invention has been disclosed, it will be understood that various modifications such as in the size, shape and arrangement of the parts might be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. The combination with a gate supported for swinging movement from a closed position to an open position, of a locking bolt carried by said gate for movement into and out of locking position, a second locking bolt pivotally connected to said gate and to said first-named bolt and movable by the latter into and out of locking position, a. member connected to said gate and movable from a first position to a second position with respect thereto to impart opening movement to said gate and movable from said second position to said first position to impart closing movement to said gate, means connecting said member and said bolts and having a given amount of free-play which is taken up as said member moves out of said first position and before opening movement is imparted to said gate, and means forming part of said connecting means and operating to move said bolts out of their respective locking positions as said member moves out of said iirst position; said second-named means comprising a bar carried by said gate, a crosshead slidable along said bar, and an element disposed between said member and said crosshead and fixed with respect to said bar to act as a stop for said crosshead when said given amount of free-play is taken up as specied.

2. The combination with a gate supported for swinging movement from a closed position to an open position, of a locking bolt carried by said gate for movement into and out of looking position, a member connected to said gate and movable from a rst position to a second position with resp-ect thereto to impart opening movement to said gate and movable from said second position to said first position to impart closing movement to said gate, means connecting said member and said bolt and having a given amount of free-play which is taken up as said member moves out of said rst position and before opening movement is imparted to said gate, and means forming part of said connecting means and operating to move said bolt out of locking position as said member moves out of said first position; said second-named means comprising a bar carried by said gate, a crosshead slidable along said bar, an element disposed between said member and said crosshead and fixed with respect to said bar to act as a stop for said crosshead When said given amount of free-play is taken up as specied, and link mechanism having a dead-center position and disposed When past such position in one direction to lock said bolt in the locking position thereof.

3. The combination with a gate supported for swinging movement from a closed position to an open position, of Ia locking bolt carried by said gate for movement into and out of locking position, a member connected to said gate and movable from a first position to a second position with respect thereto to impart opening movement to said gate and movable from said second position to said first position to impart closing movement to said gate, means connecting said member and said bolt and having a given amount of free-play which is taken up as said member moves out of said first position and before opening movement is imparted to said gate, means forming part oi said connecting means and operating to move said bolt out of locking position as said member moves out of said rst position; said second-named means comprising a bar carried by said gate, a crosshead slidable along said bar, and an element disposed between said member and said crosshead and xed with respect to said bar to act as a stop for said crosshead when said given amount of free-play is taken up as speciiied; and spring means :for holding said crosshead substantially at said xed element during closing movement of said gate.

4. The combination with a gate supported for swinging movement from a closed position to an open position, of a locking bolt carried by said gate for movement into and out of locking position, a member connected to said gate and movable from a first position to a second position with respect thereto to impart opening movement to said gate and movable from said second position to said rst position to impart closing movement to said gate, means connecting said member and said bolt and having a given amount of :free-play which is taken up as said member moves out of said first position and before opening movement is imparted to said gate, means forming part of said connecting means and operating to move said bolt out of locking position as said member moves out of said first position; said second-named means comprising a bar carried by said gate, a crosshead slidable along said bar, and an element disposed between said member and said crosshead and Xed with respect to said bar to act as a stop for said crosshead When said given amount of free-play is taken up as specified, and link mechanism comprising links pivotally connected to each other and to said crosshead and to said bolt and having a dead-center position past which said mechanism operates to lock said bolt in the locking position thereof; and tensioned spring means connected at its ends to said fixed element and one of said links for holding said crosshead substantially at said fixed element during closing movement of said gate.

PHILIP SCHNELL. 

